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ews
I ournal
If it happened, it’s news to us
75t
No.47VoLlOO
Raeford & Hoke County n.c.
Wednesday, February 8,2006
Jail construction costs climb, need remains
This Week
Ilf
r/
Hoke’s firsts
in Black history
page IB
Leash law
postponed
pi^eSA
Drug arrests made
on Calloway
pi^eJA
Index
Calendar 4B
Classifieds 7B
Deaths lOA
Editorials 2A
Engagements 3B
Legals 4-6B
Public Record 3 A
Religion 2B
Schools 7A
Socials 3B
Sports 8-9A
IVeVe on the web at
wuTv. thenews-joumal. com
Read by 3,000 each week
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke Commissioner Bill Cam
eron says the county might not be
able to afford the future $7.5 million
jail expansion because construction
costs may increase by another $1
million. However, Hoke Sheriff
Hubert Peterkin said the county has
Daniels
plans bid
for sheriff
Greg Thomas
is announcing too
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
TVvo Democrats say they
will compete with incumbent
Hoke Sheriff Hubert Peterkin,
seeking his second term of
office, in the 2006 sheriff’s
race.
Charles V. Daniels, former
Hoke Commission vice chair
man serving hiseighth year on
the board, said yesterday that
he plans to run as a candidate
for sheriff. And Greg Thomas,
who retired in January—dis
tinguished as Raeford’s first
African American assistant
chief of police — announced
he would also run.
“It has always been an am-
(See SHERIFF, page lOA)
■‘no choice” because of the crisis of
overcrowding in the Hoke Jail.
“We are still facing monitoring by
the Prison Legal Services because of
a potential la\vsuit about our aging
jail and its population,” Peterkin said
at the annual Commissioners’ retreat
last Wednesday. “If our jail was shut
down before we could get the new
one built, it \vould cost the county
more than $5.8 million per year to
house inmates elsewhere.
“That would not include trans
portation, medical and food costs
that would be incurred.”
Peterkin commended the Hoke
board of commissioners in recogniz
ing the importance of this project. He
particularly thanked Congressman
Robin Hayes for securing financing
from the U.S. Department of Agri
culture, and Cameron and Comm is-
sion vice chairwoman Jean Powell
for serving on the jail committee.
“As the retired Hoke district at
torney and sheriffs liaison commis
sioner, Ms. Powell has never veered
from her support of the jail,” Peteikin
said. “Because of Mr. Cameron’s
leadership, we were able to keep the
new jail downtown."
Moseley Architects informed the
Hoke jail committee last Tuesday
that the jail addition, which would
include 154 new beds, faced ad
ditional co.sts.
“Time is money," architect Dan
Mace said on rising construction ex-
pensesstemmingfrom Hurricane Ka-
(See JAIL, puge6A)
'1. J
7^
jm
■»
I 111
1',
Megan Johnson browses at
the Hoke library book sale;
Library supervisor Lynette
Dial with a showcase on the
late Coretta Scott King, one
of many displays at the library
this month.See story, page 4A.
(Photos by Sonia Jackson)
County may use automated phone dialers
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
Hoke resident^ may soon
be able to personally hear
bi-lingual advisoiies without
responding via an early warn
ing communications system.
If installed, the technology
known as a reverse E-9-1-1
system would automatically
contact people at their home
or business by telephone,
according to Jimmy Stew
art, Hoke communications
director.
“It would bridge language
barriers in a pending emer
gency or during a disaster,”
Stewart said. “It would also
expedite receiving informa
tion.”
Rather than the Hoke
E-9-1-1 Communications
Center being contacted by
concerned citizens with in
quiries that could tie up 9-1-1
lines, Stewart said a proposed
new technology would enable
telecommunicators to directly
transmit updates. While the
automatic voice is contacting
people, dispatchers would
continue to field emergency
calls such as reports of crimi
nal activity and medical situ
ations.
“Realistically, we could
call everybody in the county
at least one time in one-half
hour,” Stewart said. “The
system allows us to type
messages on the Internet, but
the messages automatically
convert to a voice — a very
plea.sing voice — with the
capability of communicating
in several languages.
“The possibi Iilies are I i mil-
less. I think it would be a very
good program."
Stewart .said the cost for
installing the technology
would total $77.()()(), funds
being derived from the E-9-
1-1 budget for 2006-07. Led
by a recommendation from
Commissioner Jean Powell,
Hoke's board of commis-
(See PHONFS, page 5A}
City considers approval of 300 - lot subdivision
By Pat Allen Wilson
Editor
The Raeford Qity Council
expects to get together for a
called meeting to again lookat
a request by Wright Business
Investments for a major subdi
vision off Thorny Drive and
N.C. Highway 211. The area
encompassesaln^ost llSacres
with plans for approximately
300 lots.
The city Planning Board
approved at its January 17
meeting Tomtny Wright’s
request for the subdivision,
zoned R-12, contingent on
concerns expressed by the
Wooten Company — the
engineering firm retained by
the city to review the project
—being addressed by Wright
and his engineers.
Wooten engineer John
Grey told the council Mon
day night he had finished his
review of the development
Raeford Village but had yet to
complete a review of Raeford
Commons.
“I can’t make a full recom
mendation,” Grey said. “We
are working together. 1 do not
see a big concern... There are
some things we have to go
back and forth on.”
Most of a long list of con
cerns noted by Grey had been
marked through as having
been addressed.
Plans for Raeford Village
call for 84 lots on just over 34
acres, and plans for Raeford
Commons are for 212 lots on
more than 83 acres.
Council members also fol
lowed the Planning Board’s
recommendation and ap
proved a rezoning change of
five-plus acres from R-12 to
R M F-12 and a conditional use
for apartments. This request
(See SUBDIVISION, p. 6A)
The proposed development would be in the vicinity of West
Hoke Middle School, at Palmer and NC2I I.
ews-f
News
Other stuff
“
By Ken MacDonald
Publisher
This is the second time in a row
our youth superbowl party has been
marred by a wardrobe malfunction.
In 2004, it was Janet Jackson’s
famous boo boo, which sent a gasp
through the crowd. (If there was even
a superbowl in ^(X)5,1 don’t remember
it.) And this past Sunday night, there
we were, gathered on the floor, settled
in for the halftime show, assured that
a five-second delay wou Id prevent any
shocks to the system.
But somehow Mick Jagger made it
past the censors.
“Eww!” a female yute exclaimed
as the show began and Jagger began
gyrating. “He’s too old to be doing
that!”
“Yeah, and his bel
ly is showing! That’s disgust
(See OTHER STUFF, page 4A)
Puppy Creek has grown up,
now needs two precincts
By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer
A growing population of registered
voters in the Puppy Creek precinct is
prompting the Hoke Board ol Elec
tions to consider spl itti ng the preci net,
according to Caroline Shook, Hoke
Board of Elections director. Also, vot
ers with disabi lities are bei ng given an
opportunity county wide to cast ballots
with a “breakthrough” system.
“Our local elections board has
discus.sed splitting up Puppy Creek
into two precincts.” Shook said. “1 he
kK'al elections board has also made
great strides i n i mplement i ng a bal lot-
marking machine tor every precmci
in Hoke to assist with handicapped
voters, allowing them loprivatcly and
independently vote.
“People who may be blind, illiter
ate or paraplegic can vote by audio
(See PUPPY CRhLK, page 9A)